>> Friday, February 19, 2016

'Review your policies' Youth group Anakbayan Cordillera expressed their
dismay for selectively removing electoral campaign materials of
Makabayan Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) by Commission on Elections(Comelec)
despite following their campaign guidelines as mandated in Comelec Resolution
10049 or the Implementing Rules and Regulations ofthe Fair Elections Act for
the May 2016 polls.

Starting election campaign period, local office of Comelec in Baguio
started removing campaign posters that Anakbayanclaimed to be “properly-placed”
and have abided to agreed poster standards.

“It is hypocrisy for the Comelecto encourage candidates to abide by their
rules and regulations if they themselves seem to be unaware of such rules,” said
Luke Bagangan, secretary general of Anakbayan
Cordillera.

Bagangan said there were no violations made after they reviewed said
rules.With this, Anakbayan urged Comelec to explain their actions.

“If they are really practicing fair treatment among candidates, they have
to explain why Makabayan is being singled out. They also need toexplain why
can’t we place a campaign poster in Comelec-accredited common postering areas,”
said Bagangan. The group said last election, the said party was also subject to
discriminatory actions of Comelec.“When a so-called violation was made by a
member of Makabayan, we expected an immediate response from the institution.
However,they can’t even respond to our complaints filed last election
against candidates who blatantly violated their regulations,” added
Bagangan.Still, the group expressed their intent to talk to Comelec to
discuss the said regulations.“We have no choice. Election is always
discriminatory for those who can’t afford to spend hundreds of thousands for a
short TV commercial.

We still have to resort to traditional posters even we are consistently
being discriminated by Comelec,” said Bagangan.

Anybody from Comelec who could respond to these allegations?This, as Senate
President Franklin Drilon vowed that he would push for reforms in the
election code following reports of overspending by some candidates.Drilon said
the Comelec should also ask candidates to explain their expenses even before
the 90-day campaign period starts.“We have to revisit the election code. It is
harsh not to count the election expenses where the expenses are incurred before
the filing of certificate of candidacy or even before the campaign period… The
expenses before the campaign period are not counted and that is a
fiction that is created by law,” he pointed out.